Evelyn Johnson
Evelyn McCawley (née Johnson) "I haven't told Danny... I don't want him to know. All he needs to think about is how to do this mission and get back alive. Rafe, all I ever wanted was for us to have a home and grow old together, but life never asked me what I wanted. Now I'm going to give Danny my whole heart... but I don't think I'll ever look at Biography '-First Appearance' Unlike, Danny and Rafe, Evelyn does not have a back story beginning with her childhood. We first meet Evelyn on a train with her fellow nurses. They are laughing and seem to be having a good time. One of the youngest nurses, Betty, then asks Evelyn to tell them the story of how she met Rafe McCawley . Although she refuses at first, she finally gives into the pleading of her friends and recounts the story of their meeting. She meets Rafe, when he and Danny Walker take a physical exam in order to be granted flight status. Afraid he will fail the vision test, Rafe hides a cheat-sheet that lists all the letters in the bottom row of the eye chart. She catches him, but gives him a passing grade anyway. Their romance quickly blooms. She meets Rafe, accompanied by his friend and fellow pilots, on a train platform in New York city. All of them go out to a nightclub for drinks and dancing. When there, Evelyn remarks to Rafe that Danny seems shy around the girls. Rafe tell Evelyn that he isn't shy, just unsure. Shortly after, the two sneak off by themselves. Rafe then tells Evelyn that he is leaving the next day to join the Eagle Squadron in England. Evelyn is upset at the news, but accepts it nonetheless. The couples goes to a hotel to spend their last night together, but Rafe says that he can't do that to her. "I don't want to leave with any regrets," he says. Evelyn then gives him her scarf and says goodbye. '- Pearl Harbor' Evelyn and her fellow nurses are transferred to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in the early part of 1941. Danny and the other pilots are there as well. A month or so later, Danny arrives to tell Evelyn that Rafe was killed in action. Danny does his best to comfort her, despite his own grief over the loss of his childhood friend. Heart broken, Evelyn completely shuts down and is not seen for three months. She encounters Danny at the movies after she leaves during the news. The two go out to dinner and share the memories they have of Rafe, each stating how much they miss him. They slowly begin to fall for each other, although Evelyn tries to hide it. Other girls find out and advise her to move on and be happy if it isn't meant to be with Rafe. She follows their advise and tries to forget about him. Evelyn goes to see Danny in the hanger. Danny sees her coming and tells his friends that he thinks he is starting to fall for her. After the others leave so the two can be alone, Evelyn says she hopes no one thinks that there is anything going on between them. As she turns to leave, Danny asks if she has ever seen Pearl Harbor at sunset from the air. He takes her up in his plane and the two remain up there until the sun has set. When they land, Danny tells Evelyn to hide in the parachute hanger until the coast is clear. He follows behind her. They kiss and end up spending the night together. The following morning, Evelyn and Danny meet again, where he tells her that he of his feelings for her. The two begin dating, and are very much in love. On the night of December 6, 1941, Evelyn is at the hospital finishing her work before leaving for the night. In the hallway, she sees Rafe and is thrown into a state of shock. In tears, Evelyn tries to tell him that she is now with Danny. Rafe sees Danny, and realizes that they are together and storms off in a rage. Danny follows after him. Evelyn doesn't see either of them until the next morning after the attack on Pearl Harbor. When both of them are called to report stateside for a new assignment, Evelyn goes to see Rafe to try and explain what happened between her and Danny after they thought he had died. Heartbroken, Rafe tells her that when he was drowning he made a deal with God that if he could see her one more time, he would never ask for anything again. He then begs her to tell him why she is choosing Danny. In tears, Evelyn says that she is pregnant with Danny's child. Evelyn says she hasn't told Danny yet, and she doesn't want him to know until after the mission. "All he needs to think about is how to do this mission and get back alive," she says. ''"All I ever wanted for us to have a home and grow old together, but life never asked me what I wanted. Now I am going to give Danny my whole heart... but I don't think I'll ever be able to look at another sunset with out thinking of you. I'll love you my whole life." '' Evelyn goes to see Danny before he leaves. He admits to her that he is scared that she loves Rafe more then him. Evelyn assures him that she loves him and will be waiting for him to come home. Months later, Evelyn arrives at the airport to welcome Danny home. She sees Rafe and smiles, thinking Danny will be following behind him, unaware that he died during the mission. Evelyn sees Rafe getting off the aircraft, carrying Danny's coffin. After the war, Rafe and Evelyn, now married, visit Danny's grave with Danny and Evelyn's son, also named Danny in honor of his father. Rafe then asks his stepson if he would like to go flying, and they fly off into the sunset in the old biplane that his father once had. "When the action is over and we look back, we understand both more and less. This much is certain. Before the Doolittle raid, America knew nothing but defeat. After it, there was hope of victory. Japan realized, for the first time, they could lose and began to pull back. America realized, that she would win and surged forward. It was a war, that changed America and the world. Dorie Miller was the first black American to be awarded the Navy Cross. But he would not be the last. He joined a brotherhood of heroes. World War II, for us, began at Pearl Harbor, and 1.177 men still lie entombed in the battleship Arizona. America suffered, but America grew stronger. It was not inevitable. The times tried our souls, and through the trial, we overcame."